negativism

[ neg-uh-ti-viz-uh m ]

/ ˈnɛg ə tɪˌvɪz əm /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR negativism ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a negative or pessimistic attitude.

Psychology. a tendency to resist external commands, suggestions, or expectations, or internal stimuli, as hunger, by doing nothing or something contrary or unrelated to the stimulus.

any system of negative philosophy, as agnosticism or skepticism.

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of negativism

First recorded in 1815–25; negative + -ism

Related formsneg·a·tiv·ist, nounneg·a·tiv·is·tic, adjectivenon·neg·a·tiv·ism, nounnon·neg·a·tiv·is·tic, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for negativism

“All he gets from Congress is negativism and carping,” says Dallek.
Obama Outlines His Post-Presidency|Eleanor Clift|August 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It is enough to make Agnewesque nattering nabobs of negativism proud.
Economic News We’re Thankful For This Thanksgiving|Zachary Karabell|November 24, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Without it, the seeds of change and innovation will wither in a soil that is an arid mix of negativism and defeatism.
America's Real Problem: We Failed the Middle Class|Arianna Huffington|September 11, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Negativism and catalepsy are never well developed except in stupor.
Benign Stupors|August Hoch

Her negativism went beyond ordinary limits in that it affected the expression of the face.
Benign Stupors|August Hoch
With the exception of negativism, which appears only in the anamnesis, all the cardinal stupor symptoms are found in this history.
Benign Stupors|August Hoch
The latter seems to indicate some connection between her negativism and death.
Benign Stupors|August Hoch
The negativism and refusal to go to stool are the outcome of the nervous unrest, not its cause.
The Nervous Child|Hector Charles Cameron

British Dictionary definitions for negativism

negativism

/ (ˈnɛɡətɪvˌɪzəm) /

noun

a tendency to be or a state of being unconstructively critical

any sceptical or derisive system of thought

psychiatry refusal to do what is expected or suggested or the tendency to do the opposite

Derived Formsnegativist, noun, adjectivenegativistic, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for negativism

negativism

1824, "the policy of opposition;" see negative + -ism. In a psychological sense, it is attested from 1892.

Medicine definitions for negativism

negativism

[ nĕg′ə-tĭ-vĭz′əm ]

n.

A tendency to do the opposite of what one is requested to do, or to resist stubbornly for no apparent reason.

Related formsneg′a•tiv•ist n.neg′a•tiv•is′tic adj.